the delphic expanse

I've watched every opening and closing ceremony that's happened - summer and winter - since I was born. The Olympics were always a big deal in family since many of the summer sports were things my dad did all through high school and college - shot put, javelin, track and field, etc. - and many in the winter Olympics were things my mom did as a teenager - ice skating, skiing, some of the cross country skiing, etc. We just enjoyed watched watching 'em all.

I'm having friends over tomorrow to watch it the opening on the big screen. With many apologies to DE members from the U.K., we're snacking on scones with marmalade and toast with marmite (for those brave enough to eat it) and drinking PG Tips for the teetotalers and Strongbow for the rest.

Anyone else out there going to watch the opening ceremonies?

Edited to add: There's a new Facebook "portal"... thing... that the Olympics is using to link to all related FB pages for the athletes, teams, specific sports and (less interesting) the sponsors and media outlets. Pretty nicely and cleanly laid out.Check it out.

We're not having a party exactly, but we are planning to watch the opening ceremonies, as well as a lot of the competitions. Our two kids are even giving up playing Dungeon & Dragons tonight, a regular Friday night event for them, to stay home and watch the opening extravaganza. We'll probably get carry-out for dinner and sit in front of the tube all evening.

One of my fondest adult memories of my dad is when I was just out of college, sitting in a bar of his posh Manhattan hotel on a cold winter's night and watching the Nagano opening ceremonies while it snowed outside. Awesome.

I hate the IOC for many good reasons, but I always tend to push that aside and really enjoy the games. I especially enjoy seeing athletes in obscure sports get their moment of glory.

I even have a student who will be competing in cycling this year for the USA, and that's very exciting for her.

And, while I'm at it, here's a great article on why the obscure events are the most fun:

http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/fi ... ames_.html

EntAllat wrote:I'm having friends over tomorrow to watch it the opening on the big screen. With many apologies to DE members from the U.K., we're snacking on scones with marmalade and toast with marmite (for those brave enough to eat it) and drinking PG Tips for the teetotalers and Strongbow for the rest.

The only issue I have with this is the part about drinking Strongbow, that stuff is dire.

Aside from complaining about traffic and crowding issues in town, and being that we're stony broke and don't have a television, I might join the wife in going to the church next door to watch the gymnastics. She's a very enthusiastic gymnast so it's all she's talked about for the past year, but I enjoy the diving so I might try and catch that too.

I'll be watching! Like EntAllat, I've always watched the Olympics (I remember Scott Hamilton winning in Sarajevo 1984 - and I was only 3!), every opening and every closing ceremony. In general I prefer the winter games (figure skating and hockey are my favorites), but I do enjoy the summer games too and will definitely be following.

Do you always cheer for your country's athletes? I catch a lot of grief for sometimes going against the grain and picking another country or athlete.

I am a sucker for cheering for athletes from countries that have never won a medal. I'm following Bhutan this year, as well as any Saudi Arabian women athletes! Then, of course, Polish athletes are big on my dad's Polish-American family side, and we always cheer for Aruban athletes because our family has strong ties to that little island.

I have always watched the opening ceremonies and the year they were in LA I must have lived in front of the tv. I watched everything! Oh, and I LOVE the parade of nations. I get a kick out of picking best and worst national costumes...
Tonight, however, I am babysitting someone's little ones and I don't think I'll get to see much. But I have completely cleared the DVR, got it all programed for tonight, and will shortly be getting it programed for all sorts of obscure events like synchronized swimming and shooting.

Kylah618 wrote:Do you always cheer for your country's athletes? I catch a lot of grief for sometimes going against the grain and picking another country or athlete.

I don't usually cheer for anybody or any country in particular before the competition starts, though there are lots of exceptions. That's partly because I'm not familiar with the athletes themselves until things get going and I see the skill or personality. But its also because I just love getting excited about seeing someone do something spectacular, regardless of where they are from.

Mr Smith wrote:

EntAllat wrote:I'm having friends over tomorrow to watch it the opening on the big screen. With many apologies to DE members from the U.K., we're snacking on scones with marmalade and toast with marmite (for those brave enough to eat it) and drinking PG Tips for the teetotalers and Strongbow for the rest.

The only issue I have with this is the part about drinking Strongbow, that stuff is dire.

Artisticmom2 wrote:But I have completely cleared the DVR, got it all programed for tonight, and will shortly be getting it programed for all sorts of obscure events like synchronized swimming and shooting.

Oh! You reminded me I wanted to see the rifle shooting because of that awesome woman who's doing it eight months pregnant! I'm rooting for her.